Will CSTO collective response forces defend dictators? (Video)

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has signed another military agreement with Russia today – on creation of collective response forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

According to RIA Novosti, these forces will be used to repel military aggression, carry out special operations on countering international terrorism and extremism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, and conduct rectification of the consequences caused by emergencies.

The system of the collective security has regional character now. There are three separate military groupings. They are the Russian-Belarusian (eastern-European) grouping, the Russian-Armenian (Caucasian) one, and the Central Asian one, where limited collective response forces have been created recently.

“These forces (Central Asian grouping) are considered to be a basis of the united group. We are on the final stage of preparing of a draft agreement,” Sergei Prikhodko, Russian president’s aide, said before the summit.

The collective forces are planned to be deployed in Russia, military units of CSTO member countries will be attached to them. All forces will have overall command. The acting CSTO forces do not have permanent post.

Russian 98th guard airborne division and the 31st assault brigade of air defence forces may become a basis of the collective forces.

It should be reminded that an agreement on the joint protection of the Russia-Belarus “union state's” airspace and the creation of an integrated regional air defense network was signed by Lukashenka and Medvedev in Moscow at a session of the supreme state council of the “union state”.

We asked Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of Charter’97, to comment on the recent steps of official Minsk.

“We see Russia taking measures on strengthening of its influence in the post-Soviet during the last days. It uses the economic crisis as military expansion to Belarus, Kirgizstan, and the Caucasian countries (I mean its intention to create a military base in Abkhazia).

Signing of the agreement on creation of collective response forces in the frameworks of the CSTO can be regarded as preparation for suppression of possible mass protests in post-Soviet dictatorial countries. In crisis, which will last several years, such protests are inevitable, they will be held with slogans for democratization and resignation of dictators.

These response forces are needed to keep control in Russia and other CSTO member states. They will perform police and punitive functions. It is extremely dangerous for us, because it contradicts the Constitution and neutral status of Belarus.

It is absolutely clear that participation of certain opposition figures in all kinds of decorative agencies at the dictator’s administration doesn’t strengthen independence of Belarus, but, vice versa, have already led to weakening of our sovereignty and security. After signing of the last agreements with Russia, all real democrats should leave all consultative and other councils. Lukashenka needs the so called liberalization to get western loans to prolong a term of his post. Only the democratic forces can guarantee the European democratic choice of Belarus,” Zmitser Bandarenka said.